In the Republic of Congo, as voters are prearing to go to the polls, President Denis Sassou-Nguesso is widely expected to win another seven years in power. However, opposition leaders say the presidential elections are neither free nor fair and are urging voters to boycott the polls.

They say the government has inflated electoral roll figures and are calling for the elections to be postponed to allow for the creation of a new electoral commission. President Sassou-Nguesso urged supporters in a rally outside the capital Brazzaville to go and vote for him "in peace".

Following a 1979 coup, the president has been in power for most of the past 30 years. After losing multiparty elections in 1992, he then swept back into power during a war that destroyed much of the capital in 1997. He won the last election in 2002, when his main rivals were banned or withdrew because of irregularities. A number of candidates have also been banned in today's elections.

Photo of villagers going to a local market in Bogoro, Congo by United Nations Photo (flickr)